USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Past and present of Jasper County, Iowa, Vol. II > Part 36
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There were three children in the Davis family, two of whom are living, Dora, wife of Mr. Cool, of this sketch, being the eldest ; a son died in infancy ; the youngest child, John Logan Davis, born on October 22, 1870, lives in Des Moines. This family was reared in Jasper county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cool have been born three children, named as follows : Oliver Guy, born in Story county, Iowa, July 7, 1887, was graduated from the Baxter high school on May 24, 1907, and he has been successfully engaged in school teaching for the past few years ; Perry J., born April 21, 1895, is a junior in the Baxter high school at this writing; Sarah, born November 13, 1906. Although Mr. Cool was denied extensive advantages of education, he is giving his children every chance in this direction.
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Mr. Cool has been engaged in agricultural pursuits since early boyhood and has met with singular success, unaided as he has been, being now the owner of a well improved, productive and desirable farm of one hundred and forty acres in Independence township, Jasper county. In connection with general farming he raises considerable live stock, keeping a number of regis- tered short-horn cattle, of such superior quality that they are admired by all who see them, and his live stock always finds a very ready market. He has a substantial home and good outbuildings.
Politically, Mr. Cool is a Democrat and, as intimated in an earlier para- graph, he supports every worthy proposition. Mrs. Cool is a member of the Congregational church at Baxter. Fraternally, he belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and Baxter Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America, both at Baxter.
JOHN S. PAUL.
To a great extent the prosperity of the agricultural sections of Iowa is due to the honest industry, the sturdy perseverance and the wise economy which so prominently characterizes the foreign element that has entered so largely into our population. By comparison with the surroundings in the native land, these emigrants have been quick to realize and grasp the greatest opportunities for the man who has the grit, fortitude and stick-to-itiveness. And because of this a very large number of sons of old Erin have severed home ties, shaken the dust of the "auld sod" from off their feet and sailed for the new republic of the mighty West, here sought and found a haven of rest, found themselves, in due course of time. the possessors of good homes and among our worthy citizens, respecting our laws, upholding our institutions, and pro- tecting our flag. Among this class may be mentioned John S. Paul, a farmer of Mariposa township, Jasper county, who by reason of years of indefatigable labor and honest effort, has not only acquired a well-merited material pros- perity, but also richly earned the esteem of all with whom he has come into contact.
Mr. Paul was born in county Antrim, Ireland. November 20, 1862. He is the son of William John Paul and Martha (Buick) Paul, both natives of county Antrim, the father born on July 10, 1832, and the mother on July 13, 1824, the latter dying at an advanced age on January 2, 1905. They grew to maturity and were married in Ireland and there became owners of a small farm, and there James Paul, paternal grandfather of the subject, became the
JOHN S. PAUL
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owner of one hundred acres, which is a large amount of land for one not an English lord of lands to own in that country. It was in 1866 that the father of the subject and his family emigrated to the United States and located in Scott county, Iowa, where he purchased eighty acres and there he continued to reside five years, then moved to the farm of one hundred and sixty acres where his son, John S., of this review, now resides, in Mariposa township, Jasper county, Iowa. The father became well fixed here, owning a good farm and he was an extensive cattle feeder in his day. Prospering by hard work and good management, he added to his original purchase until he owned nine hundred acres of valuable land in Hickory Grove and Mariposa town- ships. He was long regarded as one of the substantial and public-spirited inen of the county and he was influential in public affairs. He was a Republican and he served as township trustee for some time. Religiously, he belonged to the Presbyterian church. In 1888 he left his home place and moved to Hickory Grove township on a farm, remaining there seven years, then moved to Gilman, Iowa, and retired, living at that place for a period of seven years, having accumulated a competency and enjoying the fruits of his earlier years of toil. After the death of his wife he went to live with a daughter in Hick- ory Grove township. His death occurred on April 8, 1910, after an honored and successful career.
William J. Paul and wife were married on February 20, 1852, and to this union two sons and four daughters were born, named in order of birth as follows: Mrs. Matilda Parker, who lives in Hickory Grove township; James; Mrs. Nancy Clark, of Jefferson county, Nebraska; John S., of this review; Mrs. Margaret Jane McIlrath lives in Tama county, Iowa; Mary died when fifteen months old.
John S. Paul was four years old when he accompanied his parents to America and he grew up and was educated in the schools of Iowa, attending district school No. I, Mariposa township, Jasper county. He was but a small lad when he began helping his father on the home place, having begun herding cattle when he was seven years old; in fact, he spent the major part of several years on the open prairie about the homestead. When twenty-four years of age he began renting one of his father's farms. Then he purchased eighty acres of his father. To this he continued to add land from time to time until he became the owner of four hundred and eighty acres in sections I and 2, Mariposa township. He has placed his land under a high state of improve- ment and cultivation and here has met with a large measure of success as a general farmer and stock raiser. He pays much attention to the raising of
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full blooded shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses, and he feeds annually a few car loads of hogs and cattle. In 1910 he built what is generally conceded to be the finest residence in Mariposa township. It is modern in every ap- pointment, attractive, convenient and commodious and is neatly furnished. He has substantial outbuildings and up-to-date farming machinery, in fact, every- thing about his place indicates thrift, prosperity and good management. He has kept well abreast of the times in all matters pertaining to modern agricul- ture and stock raising.
Politically, Mr. Paul is a Democrat and manifests considerable interest in public affairs. He is at present very worthily discharging the duties of township trustee. In religious matters he is a member and liberal supporter of the Presbyterian church.
On April 21, 1886, was performed the ceremony which united in mar- riage John S. Paul and Mary Jane Green, a lady of many praiseworthy per- sonal traits. She was born in Hickory Grove townhsip, this county, on August 12, 1867, and she is the daughter of William Alonzo and Catherine (Taylor) Green, a highly respected and influential early family of this county. Here Mrs. Paul grew to womanhood and received her education.
Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul, named as follows : Ralph Edwin, born July 10, 1887; Harvey John, born April 7, 1889; Sey- mour Roscoe, born April 5, 1891 ; Roy Leslie, born June 16, 1892; Elmer Elgin, born July 29, 1894; George Warren, born July 13, 1896; Marion Har- low, born November 9, 1899; Perry Donald, born February 17, 1902; Myron Hazen, born January 30, 1904; Mary Evelyn, born March 3, 1907.
Personally Mr. Paul is a pleasant gentleman to know, genial. hospitable and honorable in all the relations of life.
ADOLPH GEISE.
Scientific methods of farming disseminated through the medium of the agricultural schools throughout the country have come as a great blessing to those pursuing agricultural callings. Yet the farmers of a generation or two ago had no such advantages. They had to depend upon their own judgment, their own foresightedness, their own intuition, as it were, to overcome many a perplexing agricultural problem. Their success was more often than not almost phenomenal ; and we can pardon them if they look askance upon our newer methods. One of the progressive farmers of Malaka township, Jasper county. is Adolph Geise, who never attended an agricultural school for the
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purpose of learning "intense" farming, but he has always farmed scientifically nevertheless, being a close observer, and his well cultivated land today shows that his efforts did not go unrewarded.
Mr. Geise was born in Malaka township, this county, on the farm where he still resides on March 26, 1866, and here he grew to manhood, received his education in the public schools and has always been identified with agricultural pursuits. He is the son of Henry and Louisa (Wagner) Geise, both natives of Germany, the father born in 1832 and the mother in 1833; there they grew up, were married and from there emigrated to America and located in Jasper county in an early day, residing in Newton the first two years and here they became well established, owning a good farm in Malaka township. The mother died in Baxter in 1903, at the age of seventy years, and there the father's death occurred in January, 1907. Their family consisted of six children, namely : Mrs. Etta Shirk, who lives in Iowa City; Henry A., vice-president of the State Savings Bank of Baxter; Fred also lives in Baxter; Adolph, of this sketch; Mrs. Minnie Diehl lives in Baxter; Edward lives in Newton.
Adolph Geise was married on September 20, 1892, to Pearlina Harre, who was born in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, October 3, 1864. She is the daughter of Fred and Wilhelmina (Mierkort) Harre; the father, a pioneer of Jasper county, is now deceased, but the mother is living in Baxter. There were eight children in the Harre family, all living, namely: Mrs. Kracht, of Baxter ; Fred lives near Kearney, Nebraska; Pearlina, wife of Mr. Geise, of this sketch; Otto lives in Marshall county; Albert is agent for the Chicago Great Western Railroad Company at Waverly, Iowa; Mrs. Mattie Kanne lives in Malaka township; Clara, wife of Fred Hager, president of the State Savings Bank of Baxter ; William lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
To Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Geise one daughter has been born, Delia Martha, whose birth occurred on September 20, 1894; she has received a good educa- tion, having completed her work in the German parochial schools of Inde- pendence township.
Mr. Geise is the owner of a well kept and well tilled farm of one hundred and twenty acres in sections 20 and 21, Malaka township, and here he carries on general farming and stock raising in a most successful manner, and he has a modern home and good outbuildings. He has secured a competency through his close application and good management.
Politically, Mr. Geise is a Republican, and he has been a member of the school board of Malaka township. The family are members of the German Reformed church of Independence township, and stand high in the congrega- tion of the same.
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HERMAN SAAK, JR.
One of the enterprising young agriculturists and stock raisers of Malaka township, Jasper county, who possesses the respect and good will of all who know him and is classed with the representative men of the township in which he lives is Herman Saak, J1. The sturdy German element in our national commonwealth has been one of the most important in furthering the sub- stantial and normal development of this country, for it is an element signally appreciative of practical values and also of the higher intellectuality which transcribes all provincial confines. Well may any person take pride in tracing his lineage to such a source. Although the subject is an American by birth, he is only of the second generation in this country, his parents claiming the fatherland as their place of nativity, and in his life he has displayed the strongest and best traits of character of the German nation.
Mr. Saak was born in Malaka township, Jasper county, Iowa, on July 30, 1876. Here he grew to manhood, received his education in the common schools and has always followed agricultural pursuits in his home community.
Mr. Saak is the son of Herman, Sr., and Elnora (Reineke) Saak, both born in the province of Lippe-Detmold, Germany. There they spent their childhood days and from there emigrated to the United States, located in Jasper county, Iowa, where, through industry, economy and thrift, they be- came well established and are now living in their pleasant home in Baxter. They became the parents of seven children, five of whom are living, named as follows: Mrs. Minnie Wehrman died in Marshall county; Louis, born Sep- tember 15, 1876, lives in Malaka township; Herman, of this sketch; Edward died in Malaka township; Mrs. Anna Tinnemier lives in Malaka township; William lives in Marshall county; Henry lives in Malaka township. These children were all born in Jasper county.
Herman Saak, Jr., was married on March 5, 1902, to Sophia Kanne, who was born in Malaka township, this county, on October 23, 1877, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated in the common schools. She is the daughter of Henry and Louisa (Paul) Kanne, natives of Germany, the father born on September 19, 1834, and the mother on November 17, 1840; they came to America in early life and located in Jasper county. where they became one of the foremost families, owning a large body of valuable land and for many years farming on an extensive scale, and here they spent the balance of their days, the father dying on October 14. 1901, and the mother on October 17, 1911. They were among the early arrivals in Malaka township and before
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there were many permanent settlers in this locality. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Mrs. Minnie Alleman, Levi H., Frederick A., Mrs. Louisa Krampe, Louis; Sophia, who is the wife of our subject; Mrs. Lydia Tinnermier, Mrs. Martha Saak.
To Mr. and Mrs. Saak has been born one daughter, Florence Leona, whose birth occurred in Marshall county on January 27, 1907.
Politically, Mr. Saak is independent, preferring to vote for the man who, in his estimation, is best qualified for the office sought, rather than for the party. He and his family are members of the German Reformed church of Independence township and faithful in their support of the same.
Mr. Saak has been very successful as a general farmer and stock man and he is the owner of a valuable, fertile and well improved farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres in Malaka township, one of the choice farms of his com- munity. He believes in raising a good grade of live stock and, through his enterprise and close application, he has secured a competency. He has a com- modious, modern and well furnished home and is well established.
SAMUEL P. DODD.
One of the sterling individuals who has contributed largely to the material welfare of Clear Creek township, Jasper county, is Samuel P. Dodd, who has come down to us from the pioneer days, he having spent his life in this locality. Public spirited as a citizen and progressive in all that the term implies, he has forged his way to the front with little aid or influence from others and at the same time has performed his just share of the work of public improvement, consequently his name well deserves a place in this history.
Mr. Dodd was born at Adamson's Grove, this county, on July 18, 1852. He is the son of Joseph and Amelia (Million) Dodd, the father born in Illi- nois, September 27, 1817, and the mother was born in Kentucky, November 6, 1821. They came to Clear Creek township, Jasper county, Iowa, in 1852, and settled on the wild prairie, where they developed a good farm and here they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying in the spring of 1897, his wife - having preceded him to the grave on August 17, 1889. There were ten chil- dren in the Dodd family, six of whom are living, namely : Charles E., farmer of Collins township, Story county, Iowa; Sarah J., born January 9, 1843; William, born March 23, 1845, and Mrs. Amelia Stock, are all three deceased ; G. W., born September 23, 1847, is living in Washington; J. H., born Febru-
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ary 5, 1850, is deceased; Samuel P., of this review; Frank J. lives in Clear Creek township; Mark, born November 21, 1860, lives in Wisconsin; Fred lives in Marshall county, Iowa.
Samuel P. Dodd grew up on the home place and when he became of proper age assisted with the work, for there was plenty for all to do in bringing the raw prairie land up to a productive farm. At that time were to be seen the unbroken plains and the unscarred forests. knowing no sound save that the Indian's whoop and the wanton wail of the wild beast. There was much game. The subject can recall when deer was abundant, droves of large numbers being frequently seen going from one grove to another and wild turkeys were so abundant as to be considered almost a pest. Thither to this wild region came hundreds of poor people from the East and South, seeking homes, and these they soon found themselves in possession of, if they were willing to work. Mr. Dodd has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and has been very successful. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of choice land in Clear Creek township, which he has placed under modern im- provements and on which he carries on general farming on a large scale. He has a modern, well furnished home and many goods farm buildings and he always keeps a good grade of live stock, in fact, he devotes considerable time to buying and selling stock of all kinds. .
Mr. Dodd has been a member of the school board in his district and he is at present treasurer of the same. Fraternally, he belongs to Unity Lodge No. 520, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Baxter, and of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows at Mingo. Both he and his wife are members of the Rebekah lodge, and Mrs. Dodd belongs to the Methodist Protestant church. Politically, he is a Democrat.
On March 17, 1878, Mr. Dodd was united in marriage with Margaret Thompson, who was born in Clear Creek township, this county, February 22, 1854. She is the daughter of Samuel and Harriet (Deeter) Thompson, the father born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1830; the mother's death occurred when Mrs. Dodd was an infant, and subsequently Mr. Thomp- son married a sister of his first wife, the second wife being known as Catherine H. Deeter. Mrs. Dodd was the only child born to the first union, but there were eleven children by the second wife, namely: Mrs Alma McNorris, of Valley Junction, Iowa ; Mrs. Anna Capron is deceased ; Samuel lives at Olathe,. Kansas ; Mrs. Lillie Walker is deceased; Mrs. Jennie Signs; of Olathe, Kan- sas; Mrs. Rose Hand lives in Colo, Iowa : Mrs. Sadie Corbett lives in State Center, Iowa: John lives at Clyde, Iowa; a son died in infancy. Samuel
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Thompson, the father, was ten years old when he inoved to Wayne county, Ohio, and there he remained until 1851, when he came to Jasper county, Iowa, and he has made this section of the Hawkeye state his home ever since, being now a resident of Marshall county, owning a good farm of over two hundred acres in Clear Creek township, Jasper county, but he now makes his home at State Center in the former county. He was a member of the famous band of "forty-niners" who went to California in search of gold in 1849, and when the Civil war came on he enlisted in Company E, Fortieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly three years in the Army of the Poto- mac, and he was wounded in Tennessee.
To Mr. and Mrs. Dodd five children have been born, three of whom are living, namely: Mrs. Blanche Tramel, born December 25, 1879, of Inde- pendence township, this county; Maud Kenyon, born November 18, 1883, died June 21, 1903; Leo, born May 7, 1887, lives in Clear Creek township; Jesse, born June 4, 1889, died in February, 1892; Chloe. born May 17, 1894, is at home. There are six grandchildren.
WILLIAM F. HAMILTON, M. D.
The medical profession of Jasper county has an able and worthy repre- sentative in the person of Dr. William F. Hamilton, of Baxter, whose success while yet young in years has won him a host of warm friends and admirers in the city and county and made him widely and favorably known among the representative medical men in this part of the state. There is no class to whom greater gratitude is due from the world at large than the self-sacrificing, sympathetic, noble-minded men whose life work is the alleviation of suffering and the ministering of comfort to the afflicted, to the end that the span of human existence may be lengthened and a greater degree of satisfaction enjoyed during the remainder of their earthly sojourn. There is no standard by which their beneficent influence can be measured; their helpfulness is being limited only by the extent of their knowledge and skill, while their power goes hand in hand with the wonderful laws of nature that spring from the very source of life itself. Nineteen hundred years ago St. Paul in recording his great vision, wrote, "There shall be no more pain," and from that distant time to the present, we have been trying to realize the dream. Studying, experimenting, trying out new theories, each succeeding generation coming a little nearer the goal, a little farther along toward the city of Ease.
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Dr. Hamilton was born in State Center township, Marshall county, Iowa, August II, 1882, but he has spent most of his life in Jasper county, whither his parents brought him when he was four years of age. He is the son of William Miller Hamilton, a native of Canada, who came to Jasper county, Iowa, in 1886 and here became well established and highly esteemed, and here he spent the latter years of his life, dying at Newton at the age of seventy-three years. The Doctor's mother, known in her maidenhood as Laura J. Manley, was a native of Illinois and she is now making her home in Nevada, Iowa. There were five children in the Hamilton family, all of whom are living, namely : George, who lives at Kellogg, this county; Paul lives in Jasper county ; Walter lives west of Baxter; Alfred maintains his home at Grinnell ; William F., of this sketch, is the youngest.
Doctor Hamilton received his primary education in the rural schools of this county, the public school of Grinnell and the academy at Newton, later completing the four years' course at the Teachers College at Cedar Falls, Iowa, after which he turned his attention to teaching, which profession he: followed with much success in the public schools at Cedar Falls. Believing that the medical profession held greater opportunities for one of his inclina- tions, he accordingly began to prepare himself for the same, and with this end in view spent a year in Northwestern University and four years in the Uni- versity of Louisville Medical School, Louisville, Kentucky, from which in- stitution he was graduated in 1911, having made an excellent record, winning the admiration of both lecturer and colleague. Thus exceptionally well equipped for his chosen life work, he located at Baxter. Jasper county, Iowa, in the fall of the year of his graduation and here continues to practice, having a modern, well equipped office, and so far he has been very successful in all his work, winning the confidence and good will of the people of this locality, and his past success augurs for his future prominence in the medical world.
Doctor Hamilton won, in his earlier years, a world-wide reputation as an athlete, his interest being centered for the most part in foot racing, in which at one time he had no peer. In one of the meets he ran two hundred and twenty yards in twenty-one and two-fifths seconds, which became the world's' record on a curved track. In the spring of 1906 he entered the western con- ference meet at Chicago, winning the one hundred yard and the two hundred yard dashes. In London, England, he ran on the relay team which won for America the championship of the world. He was one of the fifteen athletes who were invited to an international meet in Paris, France. There he again distinguished himself, winning the one hundred meter and the two hundred
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meter dashes. He is the proud possessor of over one hundred medals, cups and prizes. In 1908 he had bestowed on him the title of "National Champion."
Doctor Hamilton is a genial, obliging, cultured young man whom it is a pleasure to meet. He is essentially a man of the times, broad and liberal in his views and has the courage of his convictions on leading public issues of the day. He keeps in touch with the trend of modern thought in its various lines, and being a man of scholarly tastes his acquaintance with the literature of the world is both general and profound, while his familiarity with the more prac- tical affairs of the day makes him feel at ease with all classes and conditions of people.
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